After the budget, another spiza for Anglu
The deputy leader of the Labour Party is going to have to cut down on elephant feed. He’s got a bill to pay. I remember the newsletter in question. I live in Anglu Farrugia’s constituency and it was popped through our letterbox. What struck me about it was the amazingly garbled writing and the even more garbled thinking behind it – and if I remember correctly, it was in Maltese, not English, so he really had no excuse. We sat and gazed at it for ages, passing it from hand to hand and laughing in wonder. Actually, I’m surprised they managed to conclude a libel suit: they must have needed the services of an interpreter – Anglu-speak to normal-speak.
The Times, Friday, 7th November 2008 – 11:38CET
Cachia Caruana wins libel damagesRichard Cachia Caruana, Malta’s permanent representative to the EU, has been awarded €1,000 in damages after the Magistrates’ Court found that an article entitled “Stand up for your rights, you Maltese citizens,” was libellous.
The article was published in a newsletter issued by the Friends of Labour MP Anglu Farrugia in October 2004. It was written by Dr Farrugia.
Mr Cachia Caruana complained to the court that the article had claimed that he had violated financial regulations and that he had purchased property in Brussels. Plaintiff denied these allegations and said that the government had purchased the property in Brussels.
The article also alleged that Mr Cachia Caruana had held a meeting with former American President George Bush. But Mr Cachia Caruana told the court that the president had been invited to Malta to attend the 25th Anniversary of Independence, and that he had met with the president on that occasion and not in connection with any commercial activity.
Magistrate Apap Bologna concluded that the article was libellous and did not constitute fair comment.
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Daphne, I have a small suggestion. Why don’t you open a new archive section in this website and post all your articles and contributions prior to last March? I mean, you go back to even the dark ages. I’m sure they would make good reading, and you could remind us what made the news back then.
[Daphne – 1990 is hardly the dark ages. That requires an investment of many thousands of euros, so the answer is no, I won’t. You’re speaking of something like 1600 articles, many of which have to be retyped from the hard copy because computer systems have changed.]
Methinks the magistrate awarded nominal damages to prove the point that Anglu was a bad boy but did not deserve more than a slap on the hand. Interesting that GW is already being referred to as the ‘former’ while he still has till January to wreak more damage.
[Daphne – EUR1000 is not nominal at all. I speak as somebody with experience – though I must say that I got Lm1200 off Joseph Muscat.]
Richard has always been a prime target for Labour! His excellent qualities are the envy of their party but he always came out on top and kept his cool….even in very dark times for him! You must consider yourself lucky to live in Anglu`s constiuency….getting junk mail which can give you a smile or two.
[Daphne – Well, actually, I got a piece of junk mail which has now given me the enormous satisfaction of seeing that pompous fool a thousand euros out of pocket. The idiot should have told his canvassers to avoid my letterbox.]
CONSTITUENCY…of course!!!
I thought the following should be transmitted to Joey. As I happen to know that he is an avid reader of your website, I am taking the liberty to communicate it to him throught this blog.
”Oxford University Corpus compiles a list of the top ten irritating phrases.”
By Charlotte Bailey
The top ten most irritating phrases:
1 – At the end of the day
2 – Fairly unique
3 – I personally
4 – At this moment in time
5 – With all due respect
6 – Absolutely
7 – It’s a nightmare
8 – 24/7
9 – It’s not rocket science
AND 10 HAS TO BE ……………YOU’VE GUESSED ”TRENDY”
u hallina Dott.
@Mario P
I do hope you have realized that they were talking about George Bush senior!